Ms. Understood
“She is the drill sergeant of school crossed with a hyper-vigilant parent – always ready to call you out on your shenanigans and keep you in line.
That's Ms. Understood — or, in other words: Ms. Mao.”
“That's your first warning.”
“That's your second warning.”
“Tae, that's a reaction that's your third — I'll see you after school for a check in. Logging you now.”
If you’ve heard this, chances are at one point in your 4 years of high school at Comp Sci High, you've been taught by Ms. Mao. It is here where you first encounter the wind of the tornado, waiting for you to make a mistake. The alarm clock of Comp Sci High, but instead of waking you up gently, she barks orders at you until you get moving. She is the drill sergeant of school crossed with a hyper-vigilant parent – always ready to call you out on your shenanigans and keep you in line.
That's Ms. Understood — or, in other words: Ms. Mao.
As human beings in modern day society we’re taught by social media and other aspects to judge others based on first appearances without potential to change. But we have forgotten our childhood lessons such as “don't judge a book by its cover.” In my experience with Ms. Mao, I learned that things are not always what they appear to be. In my first experience with her in her class, I walked in with headphones in my ears and gum in mouth. From there I had already had two warnings. And as any usual kid, I argued. After 10 minutes in class I already got kicked out and got an after school check in.
My first impression was, “[redacted].” From then on, I knew that Ms. Mao and I wouldn't be cool. But I was entirely wrong. Don't mistake me, it wasn't instantly all peaches and cream, as we've had a series of arguments, debates, and check-in’s together. It all grew to the point where I wouldn't even show up to class because I knew she was going to just kick me out over what I thought was BS. It wasn’t just that I knew she was gonna kick me out, but I also thought her class wasn't fun to me, and the mood of the class everyday was so timid and uncomfortable. This severely damaged my grade and reputation.
After all the heartache and arguing, I finally decided to be mature and express my feelings without any anger or negativity. I called out the queen of the English language and invited her to a check in of my own. There, I explained to her that sometimes her way of teaching and caring could be overbearing. Like a fish out of water, I I told her that I felt like I was going to get suffocated if I made a single mistake. And I told her that she was making learning not fun for me anymore. In response, she expressed that she is that way because we are the future. And that she wanted us to be exponentially better than she ever was.
At that moment, I realized that she was just trying to push me to my full potential in academics. Also that she was trying to teach me methods that set me up for the future, like college. Methods that make my life easier. But most of all, I realized that she just wanted me to succeed and prevail. As a result, we came to a common ground where we both agreed that she would try to be a little more understanding and lenient. And I would give my 100% to anything I attempted to do in her class and in life in general. Throughout our time together, she became less drilling and more understanding by putting herself more into her students' shoes.
The other day, I sat in Ms. Mao’s class and watched 9th grade students interact with her. I witnessed some of my own younger behaviors. I laughed to myself, wondering if only they knew half of what they’re about to go through. I asked one of the students named Tokeyo about her relationship with Ms. Mao and her exhilarating check-ins. She said at first, “At first I thought she was another Drill Sergeant or CO of Comp Sci High penitentiary.” But then she stated, “Later on, throughout the year, as I got to know her, she just wanted the best for us. It was tough love. And at the time I only saw the tough side of everything.”
Later, I observed Ms. Mao checking in with students. I noticed that during her check in’s, she at first allows students to say their part, while also setting boundaries to where she is allowed to also express herself. I see that she has changed to where check in’s aren't a punishment until you make them one.
One lesson I can say I learned with my experience with Ms. Understood is that things such as first impressions and appearances aren't always what they seem. There will always be a problem with judging a book by its cover before even reading it. Time influences our true colors, and if you are patient enough to look deeply at someone, you might just like what you find.